Goodbye Game development, Hello Writing

After commiting considerable time and energy I've found that game development does not hold my interest. I made some good advances in learning programming but programing/gaming doesn't hold the same luster as in the past.

I've gone back to reading science fiction. Better yet I've also written several short stories for submission to Analog/Asimov's magazines. In addition I've started on a novel as well.

I will be starting a new blog regarding my new calling and link it here.

MS Visual C# Express + O'Reilly Head First C#

I shelved good old Bloodshed's Dev-C++ IDE and am now fully engaged in getting a handle on using Microsoft's Visual C# 2008 Express package. So far I love it. Ease of use and online documentation is excellent.

The real gem to getting started with MSVC# 2008 Express is working with O'Reilly's Head First C# text . Although I'm only 60 page in, I find the book amazing and it's gotten me using the tools right away. The book had a good chapter on developing windows forms and linking to an SQL database. I worked concurrently with the book however to make the most of it I substituted my own project in place of the books example for. I made a Customer registration form for Sublime. I managed to create a fairly nice rough draft and really feel I'm being efficient in working on the development as I learn/self-train. It also helped demystify SQL database linking for me.

Overall I'm buzzing with enthusiasm for the developement project and I'm especially pleased with my choices in literature/developemnt direction so far.

Programing Language Switch

Based on feedback from GameDev.Net Forums I've switched over to C# to get a better handle on development time.Also reviewing the current crop of students at Steven's Institute of Technology for potential recruits to my start-up.

I'm considering using my old PC and wireless networking service business, Uplink Technologies as the front business for the Indie development house.Using Uplink would help reduce start-up costs as:

• My sister in-law did some really kick ass graphics which I still have loaded in various foramts
  
• All the legal and financial structure for the business is in place, I would just need to convert from Sole Proprietor to a LL Corp
  
• Uplink already has some good relationships with local businesses
  

Anyway, feedback on the pros and cons is appreciated.

Self-taught C++

Alright, although the plan is to cultivate the programming talent of others, I am teaching myself C++ through an excellent book that focuses on the game side of programming.

My basic plan is to be familiar enough with C++, JAVA and other languages to understand and contribute to my future development team. My primary job description for my Company is still to be written, but I know I need to be fairly active in all aspects of the business development.

It's a lot to learn, as my past experience in programming is very limited to a few classes of Fortran 77 in college about 17 years ago. I passed but didn't do too well in Fortran, but I belive part of it was that there were some external interfering factors involved.

So I'm learning and practicing C++ coding while gradually conceptualizing Sublime. Schedule-wise we expect to bring one or two others to the team in several months.

Spouse attack! Sublime nearly destroyed before it's born

There were some conceptual game mechanics notes I developed on Sublime that I left on my desk in our bedroom. My wife happened to notice them and briefly read through some of them. This caused a bit of a stir.

You see, my 'old' obsessive behavior with MMO's and single player RPG's: I used to make paper hand-written notes on my various characters, game maps, and quests. As any gamer married to a non-gamer knows, this was an extremely sore point in our relationship in the past and at times continues to be a 'hot' issue.

Anyway, she restrained herself, apparently unsure of what exactly she was looking at but concerned on what it might be--more maps and junk on the 'useless' games that were being played. So I explained my humble foray into game development...

Well she kind of understood in a wary sort of way.. however the existence of a C++ text with notes that was also in our bedroom allayed her concerns.

Disaster averted! Lucky for the future players of Subliminal.

Sublime MMO

I've embarked on the tenacious journey of developing a Java-based (or C++?) MMORPG. I have a few diamond-in-the-rough concepts that should prove conducive to an addictive, subscription based role playing game. It should be playable on most state-of the art mobile devices as well as in a web browser window.



Setting: post modern tech-type world.

Primary game mechanics:
Loot = accumulate fame, fortune, and data
Leveling = an approx factor of the amount of the three gained plus experiencing incidents/encounters within the gameworld

Graphics on par with or slightly superior to Runescape

The carrot--Tangible game rewards attainable with-in just a few minutes of play

The stick, keeps 'em playing---Character obsolescence is possible if not character is not logged-in on a routine basis. Gameworld is constantly evolving